Balasinor

Balasinor is an erstwhile princely state and a trip is incomplete without a visit or stay at the residence of the royal family (which has now been converted into a heritage homestay). Arguably the star of Balasinor, Rajasaurus Narmadensis is a carnivorous dinosaur species of the Cretaceous period which roamed the Narmada regions about 65 million years ago. Paleontologists from the Geological Survey of India stumbled across the bones of an undiscovered species at Balasinor in 1983 and it was only in 2001, that paleontologists from universities in United States arrived to study the fossils. They realised they had the partial skeleton of an undiscovered species, and named it, quite literally, the "regal dinosaur from the Narmada". Today, a dinosaur fossil park exists at the spot with the fenced area spread over more than 70 acres. Unless you are a paleontologist yourself, do book a guided tour hosted by Princess Aaliya Sultana Babi. She has developed deep expertise in the area and works closely with the paleontologists who have been visiting the region. Be prepared to be awed as she helps you spot fossils of different body parts, dinosaur eggs and what not.

How to get there

By road: Balasinor is about 90 kilometers away from Ahmedabad, Gujarat. It should take not more than 90 minutes to reach Balasinor by road